Team Unity

As freshman Sam Upshaw dismounted the balance beam as the last competitor for her team, her St. Charles co-op teammates swarmed her with hugs, almost knocking her to the ground. Their excitement was contagious.

The team still had two more rounds, the floor exercise and vault, before knowing if they would win the 2013 IHSA Sectional Gymnastics Championship.

But it seemed their confidence came together in that one giant hug and they used that momentum to eventually secure their spot as a team in the state tournament, winning the Glenbard West sectional.